Chris Hardwick ‘Talking’ Show Pulled as AMC and NBC Assess ‘Troubling Allegations’ Album

June 18, 2018 18:00 Views: 7

Chris Hardwick is off the air. For now.

Hardwick has several “Talking” shows with AMC — “Talking Dead,” “Talking Saul,” “Talking Bad,” etc. One was just “Talking with Chris Hardwick,” and it was supposed to premiere Season 2 on Sunday, June 17, with guest Donald Glover. But AMC pulled the show as it investigates the allegations against Hardwick made by his ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra.

Hardwick also hosts “The Wall” for NBC, and NBC also said it would assess the allegations about Hardwick before production begins in September.

Dykstra did not name Hardwick in her Medium post, but it was obviously about him. She alleged controlling behavior and abuse during their 2011-2014 relationship. She also alleged — which must be key to the networks — that after she left him for someone else he tried and succeeded in blacklisting her from other jobs in the industry.

Career blacklisting is the kind of thing that can more easily be followed-up on than abusive behavior, which can be difficult to “prove” years later beyond a he said/she said.

Here’s that section of her post:

“Because of my leaving him for someone else, he made calls to several companies I received regular work from to get me fired by threatening to never work with them. He succeeded. I was blacklisted. With the assistance of a woman who’d gained my trust and my heart over the past year, he steamrolled my career.”

If true — and, again, the networks are probably making their own calls to investigate — that would show Hardwick (and his alleged accomplice) using and abusing his power status.

AMC made it clear in their statement that “Talking” would not air as they assessed the situation, meaning it could come back after the investigation is over.

Here’s AMC’s statement:

“We have had a positive working relationship with Chris Hardwick for many years. We take the troubling allegations that surfaced yesterday very seriously. While we assess the situation, Talking With Chris Hardwick will not air on AMC, and Chris has decided to step aside from moderating planned AMC and BBC America panels at Comic-Con International in San Diego next month.”

NBC also shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter:

“These allegations about Chris Hardwick took us by surprise as we have had a positive working relationship with him. However, we take allegations of misconduct very seriously. Production on The Wall does not begin until September, and in the meantime we are continuing to assess the situation and will take appropriate action based on the outcome.”

Hardwick was a co-founder of the website Nerdist, although the company said he hadn’t been involved on an operational level for years. Nerdist was acquired by Legendary Entertainment in 2012, and they said they were investigating the claims.

Hardwick — who is now married to heiress Lydia Hearst — denied Dykstra’s claim of sexual assault (but not, specifically, the blacklisting) in a statement to Deadline:

“These are very serious allegations and not to be taken lightly which is why I’ve taken the day to consider how to respond. I was heartbroken to read Chloe’s post. Our three year relationship was not perfect—we were ultimately not a good match and argued—even shouted at each other—but I loved her, and did my best to uplift and support her as a partner and companion in any way and at no time did I sexually assault her.

When we were living together, I found out that Chloe had cheated on me, and I ended the relationship. For several weeks after we broke up, she asked to get back together with me and even told me she wanted to have kids with me, ‘build a life’ with me and told me that I was ‘the one,’ but I did not want to be with someone who was unfaithful. I’m devastated to read that she is now accusing me of conduct that did not occur. l was blindsided by her post and always wanted the best for her. As a husband, a son, and future father, I do not condone any kind of mistreatment of women.”

Read her full blog post for specifics on her side of things.

We’ll have to wait and see what the networks “assess” and decide to do about “The Wall,” and Hardwick’s various “Talking” shows, including the post-“Walking Dead” show. Maybe Yvette Nicole Brown could just step in.